6 AM Kabul Time, I get up
early to see off my senior colleague who is flying to Delhi. “Happy Holi” is
what he wishes softly while getting into his car. I reciprocate, shake hands
and wave him off. 27 flight of steps takes me back to my den on the first floor
of the Guest house where lies my sweet other colleague and buddy Dell Laptop. I
gently tap the power button and it comes alive with a familiar twing sound as
if wishing me good morning.
While I mentally make a list
of those lovable friends I click my mail inbox. A female colleague of mine has
sent me a link. The link contents are certainly not welcome on Women’s Day. The
headline reads “Afghan president endorses clerics’ code that downgrades women’s
rights” I quickly skim through the details. The Ulema Council’s code says women
should not travel without a male guardian or mingle with men in public places
such as schools, offices or markets. No heavy makeup. It also allows
wife-beating in the case of a “sharia-compliant” reasons. Mr. Karzai says the council does
not put “any limitations” on women, and that it only has stated “the sharia law
of all Muslims and all Afghans.” The news goes on to say that some Muslim scholars
have disputed the clerics’ strict interpretation. The statement has drawn criticism in the Parliament,
where some politicians took it as a direct assault on the constitution. There were though some positive
points, most notably the code denounced forced marriage and the practice of
exchanging women to settle family disputes over money or honour.
Weaker Sex was the connotation that came to my mind and I got reminded of Ogden Nash who said “I have an idea that the phrase "weaker sex" was coined by some woman to disarm some man she was preparing to overwhelm. I wonder if this age long battle of outsmarting sexes is turning murkier and ugly in every nook and corner in varying degrees by both educated and otherwise.
Well, I close the link and resolve to call my lovely female friends to lighten the gloom. Because I consider woman is an enigma that harbours a myriad thoughts and emotions within the crucible of privacy. She drives you crazy, and yet one cannot fathom how insipid the world would be without her. Insipid yes all the more the day that appreciates hues and colours of life the festival of Holi marking onset of nature’s own way of splashing colours through spring season. A day of riot of colours celebrated without inhibitions, a day of smearing Gulal on lovely faces, splashing colours recklessly, exchanging hugs and embraces profusely, and visiting friends wearing clothes dyed in myriad hues, nibbling gujias from morning to late afternoon wishing the day never to end.
Going through various hues of emotions of missing my cute little daughter and my loving wife whom I could not join, I began dialling. Tring Tring Tring................ and my sweet warm friend picked up. We exchanged greetings laughed a bit and she shared, women’s way of unique celebration is something to be seen in Kerala........ I said what? Apt was the reply Google. Well I googled and found an interesting fact about Attukal pongala festival of Kerala. This Festival of Kerala is exclusively for women and has made its way to the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest religious congregation of women on a single day.
Hundred thousands of women from Kerala and other parts of the country participate in this festival. They squat along roads and by-lanes beginning wee hours and offer pongal in Attukal Bhagavathy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram city. The roads leading to temple are almost choked and men stay home. Though it is a Hindu festival, the other religious people also offer their place gladly to the devotees to do their pongala. The women do this for the well being of their husband and children.
The reason for this celebration however impressed me the most “well being of husband and Children”. Various hues of emotions again engulfed me ranging between gloom and smile on this women’s Day. I once again began questioning the complex ways of society that treats its well wishers so unkindly, the misplaced perceptions about truths, the strange ways of civilising the civilisations and many more which possibly are adding more tremors and fractures. Well why not discipline self than to seek to discipline the counterpart in the name of a utopian order?
The question remains who is the weaker Sex?
Long Live Women’s day that celebrates and nurtures hope for a better tomorrow.
